Normal Girl
by luverofjamesandlily
Summary: Jasmine meets a Mai guy. Can he help her find friendship and a relationship like a normal girl?  Sort of a sequel to my other story, it happens after the events in the first one, but you don't need to read it to understand this one.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I was going to wait and finish up my other stories before I posted another Nine Lives one, but I couldn't help myself. This is kind of a sequel to my first Nine Lives story, ****Protection Needed?**** So you can read it, but it isn't needed to make sense. Hope you enjoy!**

I watched Alek and Chloe through the window, seeing her laugh at something he said. He smiled at her, then added a comment that made Chloe's eyes widen and slap at his chest gently. I smiled softly at the scene. Ever since they had started dating, Valentina had asked me to do some extra patrols, in case Alek was too distracted to help. Personally, I thought that was crazy. If anything, Alek is being more careful and protective around her. But I wasn't one to argue with her.

I didn't draw attention to myself as I entered the little café. I picked my usual table after I ordered my coffee, the one with little carvings on it, such as **A.B + B. L** and other things. I loved to pass time looking at them, imagining if I wasn't Mai, maybe I could have a life I could carve into a table. Wishful thinking, I scolded myself. Concentrate on Chloe. I walked up to the counter and grabbed my drink. I turned around right into someone. My coffee sloshed right onto his feet.

"Oh, I am so sorry." I exclaimed, grabbing some napkins and handing them to him.

"Hey, it's okay. No harm." He looked at me curiously. "Do I know you from somewhere?" He asked.

"I don't think so." I answered as I studied him. He had black, curly hair with bright blue eyes and a nice face. Pretty tall, around six feet, I'd say.

"Oh, you're Valentina's daughter, right?" A memory came rushing back at me.

"_Jasmine, meet Ben." My mother introduced me to boy around my age. I was bored; at 12, formal parties like this were not my thing. _

"_Hello." I said politely._

"_Hi." He replied. That was it before I was whisked away by Valentina to meet other important Mai. _

"Yes, we met at that party." I recalled.

"You remember that?" He asked, laughing.

"Vaguely. I tend to block out the majority of those parties."

"I was lucky; I only went to a few."

"It's Ben, right?" I asked hesitantly, my memory could be way off. To my relief, he nodded.

"And you're Jasmine." He stated.

"Yeah, or Valentina's daughter, I go by both by others like us." I lowered my voice to say the last part. He laughed as he leaned down to wipe his shoes with the napkins I gave him.

"I'm really sorry." I repeated.

"It's fine, I needed new shoes anyway." He reassured me.

"Let me buy you a drink, to make up for it." I suggested.

"You don't need to do that." He tried to protest.

"Please? If you aren't going let me feel guilty." I insisted.

"Alright." He gave in.

I ended up buying him coffee and we sat together. About ten minutes after we sat down, I bolted upright, looking for Chloe and Alek. They had left.

"Damn it." I hissed.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Ben asked.

"I was watching Chloe." I explained. His face was blank.

"The Uniter." I explained further. He nodded, now understanding. "I was supposed to be watching her, but then I spilled coffee on you and got distracted. Valentina is going to kill me." I groaned.

"Not if she doesn't find out." He said, smiling. I sent him a questioning look. "Let's go find her." He suggested.

I nodded slowly. If I found her soon and convinced Alek not to say anything it could work.

He stood up and drained the last few drops of his drink. We were almost out of the door when a bunch of Alek's friends walked in.

"Is that the quiet hot girl with a guy?" I heard one ask another, so loudly I could hear him without trying.

"I think so."

"Weird." Another one added.

I brushed by them, making sure Ben was behind me.

"Ooooh." One called after I left. I scowled, they were so immature. I couldn't figure out how Alek hangs out with them. I'd rather be the quiet and not talk to anyone than hang out with people like them.

"You know them?" Ben asked after we passed.

"Unfortunately. They're friends with Alek and go to my school." I clarified. "I don't interact much with humans, so they think I'm kind of weird."

He nodded, as if my explanation made perfect sense.

"Okay, where would they most likely go?"

I thought about that for a minute. Probably Chloe's house. I thought I remembered something about her saying her mom was out with Frank.

"Probably her house." I voiced my thoughts and started walking in that direction.

I relaxed when we got to her house and could hear them inside. In fact, hear way too much of them. I made a face. "Wanna go up on the roof?" I asked Ben.

"Are we allowed up there?"

"Yeah, that's usually where we watch over Chloe from."

"Sure." He told me. Once we were up on the roof he looked at me and smiled.

"This has been the coolest re-meeting I've had." He said.

I laughed, "Me too." Then my phone rang. It was my mom.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Are you still watching Chloe?" She said abruptly, no hello or anything. I gritted my teeth.

"Yes, she's at home now."

"Good, I think Alek can handle it from here." With that she hung up.

"I'm off patrol duty." I said as I slid my phone in my pocket.

"Cool." We got off the roof and started walking when he said, "Oh, I have to go. I need to help my dad out at his store." He looked apologetic.

"That's fine." I forced a smile, I really liked him, and I had only known him about an hour.

"Here, you should give me your number, and I can call you." We exchanged numbers and he left. I had to stomp down a girlish giggle as he left. I shouldn't be acting like this, I reminded myself. Who cares? Another voice said. I agreed, I was finally going to act like a real girl. I walked home with a smile on my face, holding onto my phone like a lifeline.

**There's the first chapter! Hope you liked it and you can tell me if you liked/hated it in a review! Reviews make everyone happy, although the probably make me happiest. Please review!**

**Allie**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter two, hope you like it!**

I opened the door and looked around, searching for my mom. She wasn't in the living room or kitchen, so I assumed she was in her office. I crept to my room after grabbing a couple cookies. My mom thoroughly disapproved of me eating junk food, but she let Alek eat whatever he wants. Alek always kept some sort of it in the apartment. The only junk food she kept in the house for me was popcorn, but I think that's because she loves it as much as I do. Besides, I figured, I would work off whatever was in the cookies at training.

I opened my laptop and finished working on an essay for English. I know, not the most interesting way to spend the afternoon, but Valentina gets pissed when I don't do well in school. It's easier to do things and get them over with. Almost without thinking, I brushed the crumbs off of my desk from the cookies and dumped them in the trash. Not a moment too soon, either.

"Jasmine, I want you to train Chloe today." Valentina told me as she studied her phone.

"It's Alek's day to train her." I protested.

"And I said that you are going to." She countered evenly as she walked away, still looking at that stupid phone. Then my phone buzzed. It was Ben; he wanted to know if we could hang out tonight.

"Sorry," I texted back, "not tonight. I have to train Chloe. "

"Alright, another night." He responded.

I wasted time listening to music and checking my email. I thought I was trying to "get even" with Valentina. I didn't even know why I bothered, it's not like she would notice one afternoon of procrastination. She only noticed when I wasn't perfect.

I was so engrossed in my computer I jumped when my door flew open and Alek stood in the doorway.

"What's going on, why am I training Chloe tonight?" I asked him, as I stood up.

"Valentina doesn't want me doing as much with her, not that we're dating. She's worried we aren't doing much training." He said, his voice low as he explained. "And be quiet, a couple of the guys are over."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I know you don't like them, but I'm not completely antisocial." He rolled his eyes as he said it.

"I don't care if you hang out with humans, but why does it have to be them?"

"Who else is there that's even close to being like me?" He asked cockily.

"Well, considering none of them are Mai, none of them!" I exclaimed.

"Calm down, Chloe is expecting you at eleven for training, but I think you should get there now to watch over her." He said as he walked down the hall to his friends.

I grumbled to myself about how stupid Alek could be as I changed into darker clothes. I debated simply slipping through my window to avoid the guys, but they probably knew I was here when Alek came to talk to me. I grimaced as I walked closer to them and their voices got louder. I tried walking casually by them. It almost worked; I got to the door before any of them noticed me.

"Hey, come sit with me." One winked. I rolled my eyes and went through the door without responding.

"Dude, that's my cousin." Alek said, sounding annoyed. I paused by the door, listening.

"Doesn't mean she isn't hot." Another one of them muttered, which Alek heard.

"How about I act like to your sister, how'd you like that?" Alek countered.

"That's different, man." He said, but they dropped it. I kept on walking and found myself at Chloe's house. She was in her room, when I got on the roof.

"Alek?" She called as she heard my footsteps.

"Sorry, it's just me." I appeared by her window.

"Oh, I'm glad it's you." She hastened to say.

"I'm sure." I agreed, smiling.

"Come in," She gestured to her window, "We have to talk about that guy in the café." She smirked at me. Apparently she was spending way too much time with Alek.

"What guy?" I stalled.

"The one you spilled coffee on, the really cute one." She tried to refresh my memory.

"Oh, that guy." I said lamely. "Well, he's a Mai, and we met a few years ago."

Her face fell. "That's all you're going to give me?" She said in disbelief. "You knew I liked Alek." She tried to bargain.

"You never told me that, I guessed."

"Well, I think there's more to it than that, and you should tell me!" She begged, looking hopeful.

"Fine, I met him at a Mai party, Valentina was parading me around. I only talked to him for a couple seconds. Then when I spilled my coffee on him, he recognized me and we talked. Thanks for ditching me, by the way," I added and then continued, "and he helped me find you. We exchanged numbers and he wanted to hang out tonight but we have to train so I said no." I said in one huge breath.

"So he likes you?" Chloe tried to summarize.

"No." I said, turning away from her.

"Why did you say no? Alek could have trained with me tonight. He was supposed to, anyway."

"That's Valentina. She wants me to take over more training and patrols now that you two are dating. Alek said something about her not believing you were actually training." I informed her.

"That's crazy, we always train." Chloe scoffed, smiling.

"I'm sure you do. But Alek had a bunch of his friends over when I left."

"He had those jerks over?" Her eyes widened, and then she looked angry. "I don't see what he sees in them. They're so rude."

"I know, try living with Alek, they're over constantly. And they always try to get me to hang out with them. It's gross." I added.

"I bet. What time do we start training?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Eleven."

"What are we doing today?"

"I was thinking just some running and practicing your jumps. I don't feel like doing anything more complex." I admitted. She smiled.

"Yes!" She exclaimed. I looked at her in amusement. "What? I was dreading doing anything else. Alek hit me a little too hard the other day and I'm still sore." She made a face as she rubbed her shoulder.

"You'll be more than a little sore if you die again." I reminded her.

"I know, I know." She waved it away. "Do you want to watch a movie till eleven? I'll make popcorn." She said slyly.

"I guess so." I said, smiling widely. She knew my secret weakness.

We popped in a movie and only paused it when Meredith came home.

We waited until we could hear her slow, even breathing before getting up and leaving for training. I hadn't run in a while, with school, patrols, and other training. I'd forgotten how clear my head gets. I found myself going faster, leaving Chloe behind. I heard her breath of surprise as she tried to keep up with me but I kept pushing myself, till I was far ahead of her. I glanced back, she was pretty far behind. Slowing to a stop, I waited and found myself thinking about Valentina.

I hated how Valentina could always make me feel inferior. The harder I trained, the better I got, but it wasn't good enough. So I trained harder and harder, sometimes going days without sleeping until I could beat my trainer. He had been a middle-aged Mai named George who had been one of the best fighters. Once I conquered that, I spent my time focusing on school, bringing home all "A"s. I remember once I brought home a test I got a "B+" and Valentina had scolded me for not trying hard enough, while Alek had gotten a "good job" for getting a "B-". I hadn't understood it then and I sure didn't understand it now.

I strived to be the best, to prove to myself and her I could do it. I don't know what exactly "it" is. Maybe to be the perfect daughter, maybe the amazing fighter, or maybe just for a "good job" she handed out like candy to Alek. I shook my head, clearing away those thoughts as Chloe ran up. It was neither the time nor place for that.

"Why'd you take off like that?" Chloe panted, stopping next to me.

"Sorry, I just needed to think." I explained, thinking about Valentina again. Always Valentina, not Mom, I thought scathingly. It had always been like that, not like in some cases where the parents are so "in touch" with their kids, they let them call them by the first name. No, it was for her to distance herself, to not get attached.

She accepted my explanation. We finished up rather quickly, Chloe didn't say anything. I imagine she thinks I forgot and didn't want to remind me we cut it short.

As we walked back to her house, I asked her, "Will you be okay on your own for about half an hour. I need to get home, and I'll send Alek." Her eyes lit up and she assured me she would be fine. I nodded doubtfully and called Alek's phone as I ran home. He didn't pick up, of course. I hoped his friends weren't still over. It was late, but they seemed to have no concept of time.

My heart sank as I walked to the door and heard whooping and other sounds only the teenage male can make. I quietly let myself in the room and walked up to Alek.

"Alek, you have to go, remember?" I said.

"Where?" He saw my gaze and said, "Oh. I'm sorry guys, but I have to leave. A prior engagement." He said, smirking at them.

"You're going to meet King, aren't you?" One of them asked. I never had bothered to learn their names, it wasn't worth it.

"Possibly, but you have to go." He said.

"Why? I think we'll be okay here with your cousin." The one who asked me to sit with him earlier said, leering at me.

"Back off, man. We talked about laying off of her." Alek sighed.

"You did, I never agreed." He countered.

I decided to intervene. "What's your name?" I asked, acting bored.

He looked ecstatic I talked to him. "It's Mark."

"Well, Mark, why don't you leave me alone and believe me when I say in your dreams." I said, glaring at him.

He looked down at his hands while the other guys snickered at him.

"Ouch." Alek said without a bit of sympathy. "I did warn you to stop it." He repeated, smirking at Mark. I escaped to my room as Alek herded the guys outside.

"Jasmine." She called from her office. Sighing, I walked closer.

"Yeah?"

"Why aren't you with Chloe? Someone is always supposed to be with her, and I just heard Alek leave."

"Because Alek was late and he didn't pick up his phone when I called. She's only been alone like half an hour, its fine." I told her.

"I don't care if she's fine. What if she was attacked when you left, because they were watching for you to leave? What would happen then?" She asked, using her disappointed tone.

"Chloe isn't helpless, you know that."

She ignored my comment and said, "I don't care if Alek doesn't show up, that means you have to stay until he gets there, understood?" She waited for me to agree.

"Yep." I answered, going to my room.

"That was fun." I mumbled to myself as I got in my room. I suddenly had the urge to talk to Ben. It was nearing 2 in the morning, so he probably wasn't awake but I texted him anyway.

"Want to meet for coffee tomorrow after school?" I texted him. I put my phone down and changed into pajamas when my phone buzzed. It was from Ben.

"Sounds good." He responded. I smiled and decided to catch a little sleep before school.

**There's chapter two! Any feedback is appreciated, so review! I don't care if you hated it; just tell me what you hated!**

**Allie **


	3. Chapter 3

**I was going to post this sooner, but I got super sick yesterday and ended up sleeping half the day. Hope you enjoy!**

School was not fun; I had spent the majority of the time dodging Mark. It seems my speaking up only made him more determined to "get" me.

"Alek, call off your stupid friend." I almost whined at him after the seventh time of ducking into the nearest classroom during passing time to avoid Mark.

"I can't do anything, he doesn't listen to me." Alek defended himself.

I groaned and hid behind Alek as Mark came around the corner. I slowly backed away and slipped down the next hallway, listening to them.

"Have you seen Jasmine today?" He asked Alek.

"Can't say that I have."

"Oh, well if you do, tell her I'm looking for her." With that he strode away.

"What an idiot." Chloe joined Alek as she said that.

"I know." Alek said as he hugged her.

I cautiously looked up and down the hall before going to stand with them.

"He won't leave me alone." I complained.

"I know, do you want me and Alek to talk to him?" Chloe offered.

I thought about it.

"No, I should just tell him I'm not interested at all." I decided.

"Oh, by the way, how's that guy?" She asked, smirking. I glared at her; she knew I hadn't told Alek yet.

"What guy?" He asked suspiciously.

"Do you remember Ben? He's a Mai about our age." I explained, "I ran into him the other day and we made plans to meet today."

"And when she says ran into him, she means it literally." Chloe laughed.

"I don't remember him, are you sure he's okay?"

"Yes, I wouldn't be seeing him if he wasn't okay. Besides, Valentina introduced us."

"If you're sure." He dropped it, for now. I thought about going to find Mark and telling him I wasn't interested, but I figured he would find me soon enough. And I was right.

"Hey, Jasmine!" He called; following me as I walked to leave school after the last bell had finally rung.

"Yes?" I didn't stop, but I did slow down a tiny bit so he could catch up.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime." He asked hopefully.

"Sorry, I can't." I answered.

"Why not?"

"Um, I-" I was cut off by a familiar voice.

"She has a boyfriend." Ben said, coming to stand by me. He wove an arm around my waist and glanced at me. "Is he bothering you?"

"Uh, no." I managed to say, I couldn't believe what just happened. "He was just leaving, right?" I suggested to Mark.

He nodded and back away.

"Oh my gosh, thank you for that." I breathed after he was out of hearing distance. "How did you get here, we were supposed to meet at the café." I said confused.

"I was driving around, killing a little time and I saw you. Then I saw him and decided to help." He smiled.

"Thank you so much. He's a friend of Alek's and he decided that it'd be cool if he could date the girl who doesn't really talk."

"You talk around me." He commented.

"Yeah, I don't interact much at school, because I try to do well, and I don't think it's worth making relationships that can't go anywhere." I explained.

"I see." He nodded. "You still want some coffee? My treat."

"Yes, I do, but I can pay." I protested.

"Don't be ridiculous, I can pay. I insist." I looked over at him and saw he wasn't going to budge.

"Alright." I conceded.

"Victory!" He exclaimed comically.

"But thank you for back there." I repeated as we got in his car.

"No problem." He waved it away.

We just sat down with our coffee when my phone went off. I glanced at the screen and saw Valentina's name flashing there. I debated for a second before pressing ignore.

"Did you want to get that?" He asked before taking a sip of his drink.

"Not at all." I answered truthfully. I was about to say something else when my phone buzzed again, announcing I had a voicemail. If she left a message, something may be up.

"Maybe I should listen to that." I said hesitantly.

"Yeah, go ahead."

I picked my phone up and dialed my voicemail as I walked a little ways away from the table.

"Where are you? I need you here at the house now. No excuses. We need to talk about Chloe." The message ended. I thought for one wild second about how mad she would be if I didn't show up. But then reality checked in and I sighed. I needed to be there, if not for Valentina, then for Chloe.

"I'm really sorry, I have to go."

"Is everything okay?" He asked, concerned.

"Yeah, just some trouble with my mom." I lied; I had no idea what was wrong.

"We'll have to do this again, sometime." He offered.

"Definitely. You'll text me?"

"Yeah, I'll talk to you later." He smiled.

Once I got outside I sighed again. It figures that the one time I had something nice going on; Valentina would come along and ruin it. Then I thought, that isn't fair. She didn't know I was with Ben. Or maybe she did, Valentina seemed to know everything I did.

I opened the door to the apartment to find Alek sitting on the couch by Chloe, who looked unusually pale, with Valentina standing by the entryway to the living room.

"What happened?" I rushed to Chloe's side.

"I'm fine." Chloe stated firmly.

"She is not." Alek interjected. "She was attacked by a jackal on her way home. I was held up after school, and you were off with Ben." I opened my mouth to defend myself when Valentina said something.

"Who exactly is this Ben I've been told about?"

"Is now really the time?"

"Yes, I want to know who you're spending time with." I laughed at that.

"It's none of your business, but just to set your worries at ease, Ben is a Mai you introduced me to at one of your parties a few years ago."

"Oh, that Ben. His father is a great man, a very big name." She murmured, almost to herself. "You can see him." She decided, nodding.

"I was going to see him if you said I could or not! I wasn't asking you, I didn't even tell you." I noticed out of the corner of my eye Alek nudge Chloe and they snuck down the hall towards his bedroom.

"You know very well I have to know who you're with. What if something happened and I needed you to come?"

"Then you would call me and I would come help. A normal girl wouldn't even tell you she was with a guy!" I made the mistake of saying.

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Well, you're aren't a normal girl, are you?"

"No, I'm not." I said softly. With that, I spun on my heel and walked to the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Valentina called after me. I didn't stop, after I left, I paused against the door. Alek came out to see what happened.

"What's going on?"

"Your cousin is being difficult. If you talk to her, tell her she shouldn't even think about coming back until she can treat me with respect." I heard Alek's heavy strides coming towards the door. I ran to the elevator and pushed the button.

"Jasmine, wait!"

"She couldn't even come herself, could she?" I asked bitterly.

"You know she didn't mean it." He tried to convince me.

"Of course she meant it! She also meant the part about me not coming back."

"You can come back." He sighed.

"No, I'll find somewhere to go tonight. Do me a favor and bring my bag to school tomorrow." With a ding, the elevator opened up. I stepped inside and smiled slightly at Alek's stunned face.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I told him. As soon as the doors shut, I leaned against the wall, shaking a little. I had never stood up to her, I had always just done what she said. Even thought I still didn't do that right.

I hesitated once I got down to the ground floor. Where was I going to go? I could wait and ask Chloe if I could sleep in her house. I could apologize to Valentina, but I shook away that thought immediately. I thought about calling Ben, but I had just met him, again; that would seem weird. The elevator dinged again, announcing someone else's arrival.

"Jasmine!" Chloe called, jogging over to me. "I thought this might help." She offered me a bag.

"It's some clothes and Alek put some money in it." She explained.

"Thank you Chloe." I said gratefully.

"Just between us two, I think you're right. You shouldn't be at the beck and call of Valentina." She lowered her voice as she spoke. "But, I don't know everything about her, so I can't really judge." She added.

"Thanks, Chloe."

"Anytime, do you want to come home with me? My mom would love to have you over." She suggested.

"That sounds nice. Thank you."

"No problem." She assured me.

We walked over to her house and asked Meredith if I could stay over. We told her we had a paper for English we wanted to work on together, and of course she said yes. After we changed into pajamas, made a bowl of popcorn, and made it back to Chloe's bedroom, she asked, "So, what's going on with you and your mom?"

"I don't know why it exploded up like that today. I always do what she says. I don't think she got what she wanted in a daughter when she got me."

"Don't say that." Chloe admonished. "I'm sure she loves you. Maybe she just has a hard time showing it."

I snorted. "The only thing she loves about me is being able to order me around. Nothing I do is good enough for her. I'm just as a good as a fighter as Alek, I get straight "A"s in school, and I go to all her little Mai parties and let her parade me around. That's the only time she acts like a mother, when others are around."

"I don't know. Maybe she's just trying to make you be the best you can be?" She said then started laughing at the corniness of the line.

"Maybe, I have no idea what goes on in her head."

"Yeah. But maybe the fight today was really about her being worried. It isn't that big of a deal she wants to know where you are."

I nodded, "I guess so. It just made me so mad when she "allowed" me to see Ben."

"I know." Chloe tried to comfort me.

"Thanks again for letting me stay here."

"Yeah, it's fine." She responded.

**How'd you like it? I really meant for there to be more Ben in this chapter, but as I was writing, this just sort of happened. Please review! **

**Allie**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it took me so long to update, I had a hard time writing this chapter, for some reason. Review please!**

I stretched, still half asleep, when my arm collided with something warm. My eyes shot open to reveal I was sleeping next to Chloe. I'd almost forgotten our "sleepover". In response to my hit, she grumbled slightly and rolled onto her side.

I smiled, "Sorry Chloe." I didn't get a reply, but I wasn't really expecting one. I got out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom where I had put my bag the night before. I hadn't bothered to look at the clothes Chloe had grabbed for me, just took out the pajamas out. Even in her haste, she managed to pick out some of my better clothes.

Today I was wearing a pair of jeans with a see-through pink lace shirt over a black tank top. I ran a brush through my hair and put it up into a ponytail, finished getting ready and decided to try and wake Chloe.

You'd think since she was a Mai, she would be a light sleeper. Think again. It took me ten minutes, and I had to resort to stealing all of her blankets so she couldn't hide under them.

"Chloe, come on. You're going to be late for school, and then you can't see Alek before." I finally tempted her.

"You're evil." She muttered as she got up and strode into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later she came out of the bathroom, hardly resembling the Chloe I just dragged out of bed.

"You're worse than my mother." She complained as we made our way downstairs.

"I was just trying to help; it's not my fault you sleep like the dead." I replied.

She didn't have a response to that and instead grabbed a bowl of cereal.

"Morning girls, how did the paper go?" Meredith asked as she walked in, grabbed an apple, and sat next to Chloe.

"It went really well, I'm glad Jasmine helped me with it."

"That's good." She commented.

Soon we left the house and got to school. We were both scanning the area for Alek, for different reasons.

"I don't see him." I complained.

"Worried about me? Touching." Alek said from behind us, smirking. He also held out my backpack as he hugged Chloe.

"No, just what's in my bad." I retorted.

"That hurts deeply!"

"I'm pretty sure you will be fine." I said and walked away from them. I was distracted the whole day, what was I going to do now? Go and apologize to Valentina, or stay away? I wanted to stay away, but I didn't have anywhere else to sleep. I know, I could sleep just about anywhere, but a real bed beats that.

By the end of the day, I thought I had my decision. I would go apologize to her, but not act like I did before. I would do what I wanted, not what she wanted.

I held my breath as I slowly opened the door. Valentina wasn't in the living room. I crept inside. She was in her office. I walked to the door and knocked.

"What?" She snapped.

"I just came to apologize. I'm very sorry for what I said." I almost recited, as I looked at a picture a little to the side of her head.

She studied me for a second. "I need you to train Chloe for the next two days." Just like that our fight was over. I nodded and escaped from the room.

I honestly did not understand that woman, but I was just glad we weren't fighting anymore. I've never liked fights, verbal fights, that it. I have no problem with actual fights.

I went to my room and started my homework. Halfway through it, my phone buzzed. I smiled as I saw the name. It was Ben.

"Everything ok with your mom?" His text read.

Typing quickly I said, "Yeah, just a little problem. All good now."

"That's good. You want to go to a movie tonight?" Came his reply.

I hesitated, and then decided to be the bigger person and ask Valentina.

"Can I go with Ben to a movie tonight?"

She didn't stop typing on her computer, but said, "Yes, if you can still be ready to train Chloe." Now it was a little after four. I asked him what time the movie would be at.

"Yeah, he says the movie is at eight, so I can still be at Chloe's by eleven. "

"Then yes." I took that as my dismissal. I told him I could, as long as it was before eleven.

"Great, I'll pick you up around 7:30." He replied.

I smiled to myself excitedly, and then made myself finish my homework. I usually did all of it before training, and after if I still had some. I would just have to do it all now.

Just as I was finishing my homework up, my phone rang. It was Chloe calling.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked.

"Not much." I said without thinking. "Actually, I have a date tonight." I admitted, waiting for her reaction.

"Oh my gosh, With Ben? Where are you going?" She exclaimed.

"Yes, with Ben. We're seeing a movie."

"That's so sweet. What are you going to wear?" She demanded.

"I haven't thought about that yet." I confessed.

"I start work at six, come by then and I'll help you pick something out." I looked at the time and saw it was almost six.

"Okay, see you soon." I agreed.

"Bye!"

I got there and it was crazy, Chloe had a pile of shirts picked out already. I tried them on and between the two of us; we found something wrong with all of them.

"Now what? I'm pretty sure we just went through the whole store." I asked her.

She looked thoughtful, her eyes sweeping over the store. She snapped her fingers, coming up with something, I assumed.

"We just got this new shirt in; I thought it kind of looked like you." She ran and grabbed it.

She came back with a light purple shirt. It was a V-neck, with beading around the neck. It was really pretty.

"Try it on!" She threw it at me.

Once I had it on, I stepped out and saw Chloe's eyes widen.

"It's perfect!"

"You think so?" I asked her, kind of shyly.

"Yes, if you don't buy it, I will and give it to you." She said firmly.

"Well, in that case, I have to buy it." I joked.

"Yes you do. And the jeans you have on are fine." She decided, studying me.

I rolled my eyes, but I was happy. I never really had a girl friend to do this kind of stuff with.

"Thanks, Chlo." I looked at the time." "It's almost time for him to pick me up! I have to go." I exclaimed nervously as I bought the shirt.

"Have fun." She waved as I left.

I got back home just before 7:30 which was just enough time to fix my hair a bit and grab my over-sized purse. One of my few girlish indulgences. There was a knock on the door.

"I got it!" I called so Valentina wouldn't get up.

"Hey." I said, as I opened the door.

"Hi, you look great." He said, smiling.

"Thank you." I blushed, not that it really showed up on my darker skin. "I'm leaving!" I yelled to Valentina.

There was no reply, but I knew she heard me.

"Ready?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, let's go." We started walking. "So, what movie are we seeing?"

"I was thinking we could see that new Rise of the Planet of Apes or whatever it's called." He said.

"Oh, I've heard of that, it sounds really good." I told him.

"I'm glad." He smiled. We fell into a comfortable silence in the elevator.

Suddenly I opened my bag and rummaged around in it for a second.

"Dang it, I forgot my wallet." I said to explain.

"It's okay; I was going to buy the tickets and popcorn anyway." He shrugged.

"Are you sure?" I asked worriedly.

"Yeah, it's fine. Besides, what kind of guy would I be to make you pay on our first date?"

I blushed and smiled again. "Thank you." He nodded.

We got to the movie theatre without any problems, like Valentina calling me with an emergency.

"Two tickets to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, please." Ben asked when we got to the front of the line. "Thank you." He added as the guy shoved the tickets to him.

"What do you want besides popcorn?"

"I'm good with just popcorn." I replied.

"I'm going to get a pop, are you sure?" He double-checked.

"Maybe a bottle of water."

We got the drinks and a large popcorn. He must like popcorn as much as I do, I laughed to myself.

The movie started after some really cool previews to other movies. I would have to come back and see those. The movie was fantastic, but several parts made me wince. Somewhere in the middle of it Ben captured my hand with his, as if it was the most natural thing to do. I tensed for a moment but then relaxed and intertwined my fingers with his.

When the movie had finished we stayed in our seats till the lights came on. I saw a few other people blinking at the change in light, but Ben and I had already adjusted. Just another one of those quirks that come with being a Mai.

We stood up, but Ben didn't let go of my hand. I smiled up at him. He wasn't too much taller than me, just enough to be a difference.

"How'd you like it?" He asked as we left the theatre.

"It was really good, but some parts were so awful!" I said, shaking my head. **(A/N Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a really good movie, you should see it!) **

"I know." Ben agreed.

Glancing at my phone I saw it was nearly eleven and that I had two text messages.

"So, do you want me to drop you of at Chloe's'?" He said as we got in the car.

"Yeah, that would be great." I smiled softly at him. I don't know what was going on; this isn't how I usually acted. It didn't feel bad though.

When we pulled up a few houses down from Chloe, I could almost feel him hesitate before kissing me softly on the cheek. I smiled and slipped out of the car. I kept my movements slow and purposeful, until I was out of his sight. Then I sighed happily to myself and jumped in the air. I finally found a nice guy, who happened to be Mai. I decided to check my messages quick. The first was from Chloe.

"Expect to be questioned deeply when you get here." Was all it read.

The second was from Alek.

"Thanks for covering my training tonight, Valentina is making me study for a test tomorrow."

I smirked to myself at the second message, Alek never studied for tests and always managed to do fine, if not good. I got to Chloe's window and braced myself for her questions. It was going to be a long night.

**I know, it took so long for me to update! I'm sorry! I also apologize if Jasmine is slightly out of character, but I think it works for her being on a date and such. Please review!**


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